Government finishes exercise on “restriction-testing declaration” in respect of specified “restricted area” in Tuen Mun and enforcement operation for breaches of compulsory testing notices
The Government on February 6 exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7.30pm that day, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tuen Mun (i.e. Leung Kit House, excluding LKWFS Chu Sui Lan Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten on G/F, Leung King Estate, 31 Tin King Road, Tuen Mun) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. The Government yesterday (February 9) extended the period of operation to today (February 10). Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises and undergo three tests under the designated arrangement until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. In addition, those who have visited the "restricted area" in the past two weeks for more than two hours should undergo testing on or before February 9, 2022 in accordance with the compulsory testing notices issued earlier. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 12.15pm today and carried out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" aferwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notices. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 2.15pm today.
In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Tuen Mun District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health mobilised around 1 125 person-time of Government staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notices issued earlier.
The Tuen Mun District Office distributed meal boxes and provided food packs containing canned food, instant noodles and corn kernels to persons subject to compulsory testing when the relevant declaration was in effect, so as to facilitate their meal arrangement. In addition, the District Office also provided daily necessities and disinfection products to them.
The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 12.15pm today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notices. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 2.15pm. Test records of around 330 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
The Government reminds the about 40 households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
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The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.